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A cookbook I've had on my shelf for some 25 years got put to use this week, thanks to a request from Nancy Ernest.

She writes, “I remember you writing one time that you had gotten a recipe from a cookbook that was assembled by the members of the San Antonio restaurant community in the 1980s. I once had a copy of that book, but it has disappeared from my bookshelf and my children say they don't have it. So, I don't know where it has gone.

“Two favorite recipes came from that book, and I'm wondering if you could consult your copy and get those recipes for me so I could have them again.

“One recipe was Jalapeño Chicken that had rice and orange juice in the recipe. You browned the chicken with jalapeños (chopped) and then let it simmer in orange juice. It had an unusual flavor that I found pleasing.

“I don't recall the name of the second recipe, but it was a coffeecake that was made in an angel food cake pan. The cake had sour cream in the batter and also had a cinnamon and pecan mixture on top. It was a good coffeecake to make for company as it served a large number of people.”

As soon as I read Ernest's letter, I knew she was talking about “San Antonio Cook Book,” a spiral-bound book compiled by the Restaurant Association Women's Auxiliary in 1979. As I thumbed through the book, the names of several now-closed restaurants came back to me, including DeWinne's Belgium Inn, Old Heidelberg, B&B Cafe and more.

It didn't take long to turn up both recipes requested by Ernest, the second being Merk's Coffee Cake. I've also seen this recipe referred to as Merck's Coffee Cake; both versions are the same.

If you are looking for a lost recipe or have a favorite recipe to share, let us hear from you. E-mail kharam@express-news.net or write Recipe Find, San Antonio Express-News, P.O. Box 2171, San Antonio, TX 78297-2171.